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"O woman beyond my comprehension!" said the Count, "formerly in

thy feelings thou wast poetic; but now thou seemest altogether

prosaic. What are your marriages except chains that bind only the

hands and not the spirit? Believe me, there are proffers of love

even without an avowal of it, and there are duties even without

an engagement! Two burning hearts at the two ends of the earth

converse together like stars with trembling beams. Who knows?

Perhaps for this very reason the earth so aspires towards the

sun, and is thus ever dear to the moon-that they gaze upon each

other eternally, and run towards each other by the shortest path,

but can never draw near to each other!"

"Enough of that," she interrupted; "by the grace of God I am no

planet, Count! Enough, Count, I am a woman. I know what's coming;

make an end to all this chatter. Now I warn you; if you utter one

word to break off my marriage, then, as God is in Heaven, I will

jump at you with these nails and--"